American Jewish Committee Advocates Federal Intergroup Unit

June 19, 1961

WASHINGTON (Jun. 18)

Establishment of a Federal bureau of intergroup relations for the express purpose of meeting “the human needs of urban dwellers” was advocated here this weekend by the American Jewish Committee. The proposal was made in testimony submitted to the House Committee on Government Operations, which is considering a bill authorizing the establishment of a Cabinet department on urban affairs and housing.

In a statement submitted on behalf of the AJC by Louis Caplan, of Pittsburgh, chairman of the American Jewish Committee’s executive board, the proposal for the formation of the new Cabinet-rank department was approved. But, Mr. Caplan warned, the House proposal “unfortunately fails to take into account the human relations problem inherent in our industrial society. ” For that reason, he proposed an amendment to the measure pending in Congress, providing “expressly” for a bureau of intergroup relations in the newly envisaged department.